AHHHH!!! It's really happening!!!
Whenever I get asked "how can you possibly stay up in the middle of the night to watch tennis on your computer" I will cite last night as Exhibit A. Which is a bit ironic because I totally fell asleep after Rafa won, which means I missed EVERYTHING.
First, Rafa was genuinely tested by Blah in his three set win. Who would have thunk it? I mean, the only reason I watched the match was because I couldn't sleep and I was kinda hoping I could stay up for Marat (that's what HE said!). I figured Rafa would roll right over Blah but Blah stood strong for 2 sets and a half. Rafa actually had multiple match points in the second set and couldn't convert, getting broken back (he may have been up 40-0) and then dropping the TB. Then in the second set, Blah had triple break point on Rafa's serve early in the set and Rafa somehow found a way to claw himself back in and hold. After that, the momentum totally shifted and Rafa would break Blah a few games later and serve out the set. Great fight from Rafa, and a solid performance from Blah, who hit some pretty amazing returns all match.
Then, in the "clearly I shouldn't put myself through this" match, Marat inexplicably took out Gonzo. In straight sets. Kinda easily. So...Marat is in the quarterfinals. Of Beijing. I don't understand it but I like it.
